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With a history spanning four centuries, the Oberammergau Passion Play -- which unfolds in Oberammergau, Germany -- dates back to a time when the plague was wreaking havoc upon Europe. Villagers from the Bavarian town, in a desperate bid to appease the God they imagined to be behind the disease made a divine deal: When the plague would cease to claim lives, they would re-enact the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in an elaborate Passion Play.
When the plague did finally end, the people kept their end of the bargain, and the tradition of the Passion Play was born, with its first performance in 1634. Today, the once-a-decade productions -- which can run more than five hours and feature more than 2,000 performers and production staff -- continue on: The 42nd Passion Play unfolds from May 16 through Oct. 4 in 2020.
Regional river cruises will be well-poised to deliver passengers to the performances, with most of the major lines offering at least one or two Oberammergau-inclusive itineraries (either on the Rhine or the Danube). Book a sailing with major companies like Avalon Waterways, CroisiEurope, Emerald Waterways, Scenic, Tauck or Viking River Cruises for the utmost in convenience. Not only will they get you transport to and from the event (including ground transfers) but they'll also arrange for included-in-the-fare show tickets.
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